Michigan State's Dave Warner on offense: 'Nowhere where we need to be'

Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook throws a pass during the first quarter of their Big Ten Conference game against Purdue on Saturday at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing.Mike Mulholland | MLive.com

EAST LANSING -- Michigan State co-offensive coordinator Dave
Warner said it was obvious.

The Spartans had hoped to be better on offense than what
they showed in a 14-0 win against Purdue on Saturday.

"Nowhere where we need to be, but it is a win," Warner said.
"We're 6-1 right now, and hopefully we'll learn and grow from it."

Michigan State racked up 294 yards against a Purdue defense
that entered the game ninth in the Big Ten allowing 417 per game. Connor Cook
completed only 13 of 25 passes for 107 yards.

So if the underwhelming performance could be seen as a lesson
learned, well then Warner would take it.

"Whether we wanted it to be that or not, that's sort of the
way maybe we need to twist it, to understand that we have not arrived," Warner
said.

Warner's assessment of the offense struck a slightly different
tone than the rosier outlooks that came from Cook and coach Mark Dantonio.

Cook, whose incomplete throws at times were uncatchable
balls that landed at his receivers' feet or sailed over their heads, did not
make excuses. No, he said, the wet weather did not affect him. No, he said,
Bennie Fowler sitting out and Aaron Burbridge leaving the game due to injuries
weren't the issue.

But he didn't appear as concerned as Warner was.

"I don't think there's any concerns," Cook said of the
offense. "We've showed what we're capable of. We played great against Iowa. We
played great against Indiana. Moved the ball well against Notre Dame."

Dantonio conceded that the ball needed to be thrown more
effectively, but preferred to emphasize Michigan State's final two drives --
one that after Cook's 26-yard pass to tight end Josiah Price resulted in Tony Lippett's TD pass to Andrew Gleichert and the
other that ran out the clock on 12 plays. It was also important for Dantonio to
note that no turnovers were committed.

When Dantonio said he'd be honest in public about having
thought of switching quarterbacks, he also noted that sticking with Cook was
meaningful, too.

"It shows we have confidence
in him," Dantonio said. "It also shows that we are going to make moves if we
have to."

Dantonio and Warner agreed
that the fourth-quarter drives were positives while also that the Spartans would
need to do better than successfully converting five of 13 third-down situations.

"We converted some third downs," Warner said. "We made some
quicker throws, and (Cook) hit those fine.

"You have to go through a game like this maybe to understand
that you've got to be up, and you've got to play every game like it's your last
game. Hopefully, we've learned a lesson, and fortunately, we escaped with a
victory with that lesson."